A method and apparatus authenticates a component (450) for use in a device (100). The device memory (122) stores a predetermined challenge and a predetermined response (212) associated with the predetermined challenge. The method detects whether the component has been coupled to the device. If the component has been detected (206), the predetermined challenge is provided to the component (208). If a component response is received within a predetermined response time (210), it is compared to the predetermined response. The component is disabled (214) if either the component response is not received within the predetermined response time or the component response is received within the predetermined response time but the component response is not equivalent to the predetermined response. The component is enabled (216) if the component response is received within the predetermined response time and the component response is equivalent to the predetermined response.